German drone pioneer Wingcopter and Ukraine’s largest producer of Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) TAF Industries have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the intent to establish a joint venture. The MoU was formally signed today at the 62nd Munich Security Conference in the presence of government representatives from both Ukraine and Germany.
The joint venture is designed to strengthen the resilience of critical defence production for Ukraine, ensure continuity of supply under wartime conditions, and diversify industrial risks by expanding manufacturing capacity into a safer and more resilient industrial environment in Germany. At the same time, it establishes a long-term framework for German–Ukrainian industrial cooperation in defence technologies that are already proven in real combat conditions. This partnership will be formed under the „Build with Ukraine“ framework.
Under the joint venture, TAF Industries will provide licensed designs and operational expertise for its reconnaissance UAV systems that have been extensively used in real operational environments. Wingcopter will contribute industrial infrastructure, manufacturing expertise, and engineering capabilities to enable rapid scaling of production in Germany.
In this context, Wingcopter’s expansion into the security and defence sector through its newly established Wingcopter Security & Defence (WSD) unit provides a strong industrial and technological backbone for the joint venture. WSD complements Wingcopter’s existing commercial delivery and surveying activities with ISR (Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance) and cargo applications, unlocking the full potential of Wingcopter’s proven dual-use platform and intellectual property.
Beyond current systems, the partners plan to jointly develop and localize future UAV platforms for the European and NATO markets with the aim of further strengthening Europe’s defence industrial base and enhancing overall security and resilience.
Volodymyr Zinovskyi, CEO of TAF Industries, said:
“This cooperation is about responsibility, resilience, and strategic growth. For TAF Industries, scaling the production of systems already saving lives on the frontline is a top priority. This joint venture combines our battlefield-proven innovation with Germany’s industrial strength, turning operational expertise into scalable manufacturing. We are ready to share our unique combat-driven experience with our partners to strengthen collective resilience and build a stronger defense ecosystem together.”
Tom Plümmer, Co-Founder and CEO of Wingcopter, added:
“Wingcopter has been developing leading drone technology and in-depth know-how for more than ten years. We are proud to partner with one of Ukraine’s strongest defence tech companies to leverage these powerful skills to support Ukraine’s fight for freedom – at an industrial scale. Together with TAF Industries, we are building a sustainable industrial bridge between Germany and Ukraine. Importantly, this will also secure and create jobs across Germany as well as contribute to Europe’s security and resilience.”
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Sincronía Logística, a Mexican market leader in pharmaceutical logistics, and European drone company Wingcopter have entered a partnership to promote the use of drones for the delivery of medical supplies. The Mexican company plans to use a fleet of Wingcopter 198 drones itself and to deploy them on behalf of its customers.
Drone-based deliveries will allow to bypass Mexico’s at times challenging terrain and infrastructure limitations, perfectly complementing Sincronía Logística’s current high-value pharmaceutical and medical logistics services.
Following a successful flight demo for the Cruz Roja Mexicana Querétaro (the Mexican Red Cross’ division in the state of Querétaro) in August, regular drone-based delivery operations with the Red Cross are planned to start still within this year. First, medicine and medical equipment for paramedics and first responders will be transported over a distance of 8 kilometers, allowing much faster access to hard-to-reach areas.
Diego Garcia, Director of Business Excellence at Sincronía Logística, comments: “At Sincronía Logística, our vision is to set a new standard for modernization and innovation in healthcare logistics. Through the use of the Wingcopter 198, we are not simply improving delivery times—we are giving patients faster access to the treatments and medicines they urgently need. For us, this project goes beyond technology; it is a philanthropic initiative that embodies our commitment to saving lives and supporting the healthcare professionals who dedicate themselves to caring for others. By accelerating medical logistics, we are helping to close critical gaps in access to care and ensuring that innovation serves its most important purpose: protecting health and improving lives.”
Armando Koerig Gessinger, Chief Revenue Officer at Wingcopter, adds: “We are convinced that Sincronía Logística has the resources and competences to scale the use of our Unmanned Aerial System to a nation-wide dimension within the next years, as they already have experience in deploying various robotics systems for their warehouses and associated processes and are leaders in their segment. Wingcopter is honored by the partnership and the trust Sincronía Logística have placed in us.”
About Wingcopter
Wingcopter is a German drone technology company that develops, manufactures, sells and operates all-electric uncrewed aircraft systems, specializing in enhancing the logistics of urgently needed goods and remote sensing through high-end sensor systems. The 150-strong team is dedicated to improving and saving lives worldwide by building certifiable drone technology for scalable, sustainable and safe operations. Wingcopter is a World Economic Forum Technology Pioneer and Global Innovator.
Thanks to its patented tilt-rotor mechanism and proprietary software algorithms for seamless transition between two flight modes, the Wingcopter 198 can take off and land vertically like a multicopter, while flying long distances as efficiently and quickly as a fixed-wing aircraft, even in harsh weather conditions.
Wingcopter’s investors include Corecam Capital Partners, DRONE FUND, the European Investment Bank, Expa, Futury Capital, Hessen Kapital III, ITOCHU, Nordic Secondary Fund, REWE Group, Salvia, SYNERJET, XAI technologies as well as Xplorer Capital.
Further information: www.wingcopter.com, on LinkedIn and Instagram.
About Sincronía Logística
At Sincronía Logística, we believe logistics is more than moving products from one place to another—it is about connecting people to what they need most. In healthcare, every delivery can mean a life saved, a treatment arriving on time, or a family finding hope. That belief drives us to innovate relentlessly and to challenge the limits of what logistics can achieve.
We have pioneered projects that once seemed like science fiction. From drones delivering medicines to hospitals and virtual reality headsets training our warehouse teams, to robots scanning entire inventories in hours and digital twin models simulating the perfect warehouse flow, technology has become our ally in creating faster, safer, and more reliable solutions. Even our executives can now step into a facility from hundreds of kilometers away through telepresence robots, ensuring leadership never loses sight of operations.
But innovation for us is never just about efficiency—it is about people. We introduced exoskeletons to protect our employees from injuries, invested in 98% clean solar energy to power our operations responsibly, and opened our doors to students from ITESM, inviting them to co-create projects that link technology with sustainability.
Our story is still being written, but our purpose remains constant: to use innovation not only to transform logistics, but to improve healthcare access, protect communities, and save lives. At Sincronía Logística, every new idea, every project, and every delivery is guided by the same vision—building a future where logistics becomes a force for human well-being.
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Wingcopter refines its drone designs with simulation, increasing flight distance while retaining payload capacity and delivering essential supplies faster
Supported by Ansys (NASDAQ: ANSS) simulation technology and Ansys Apex Channel Partner CADFEM Germany GmbH, Wingcopter is developing cutting-edge drone technology to deliver vital supplies to hard-to-reach areas, including vaccines, medicine, blood/other lab samples, and medical equipment, in addition to long-range LiDAR surveying services for infrastructure inspection. Through this collaboration, Wingcopter identified and optimized payload solutions for its drone that could increase the flight range by over 10% — delivering more resources to more people.
Designing vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL) aircraft for a smooth transition from hover to cruise requires engineering for flexible propulsion systems, aerodynamics, energy efficiency, and safety. Wingcopter relies on Ansys’ multiphysics and safety analysis solutions to validate its drone design featuring a redundant battery system and eight motors, four with tiltrotor technology for enhanced transition to cruising.
Simulation helps Wingcopter estimate drone performance across diverse conditions — strong winds, heavy rains, various altitudes, and more. The simulations are compared to field tests and operational data, and the results are fed back into the virtual environment creating a data-driven design loop that enables rapid optimization of parts for better performance and safety. Wingcopter enhanced and certified its drone design by leveraging multiple Ansys multiphysics simulation solutions:
- Ansys Discovery
3D simulation software family of products to facilitate simulation setup - Ansys LS-DYNA® structural simulation software to analyze the crash behavior of the landing gears
- Ansys Fluent fluid simulation software to understand aircraft aerodynamics and rotating propeller dynamics for seamless transition from hover to cruise
- Ansys medini® analyze safety analysis software to develop the required assessments to meet safety certification standards of different international aviation authorities
“Simulation helps our teams analyze and optimize our drone design, as well as evaluate individual problems on a level of detail that is often not possible or very difficult to test,” said George Robson, team lead for mechanical engineering and aerodynamics at Wingcopter. “By leveraging Ansys’ sophisticated modeling, we can refine every aspect of drone performance, ensuring unparalleled efficiency, reliability, and innovation in aerial solutions.”
“Ansys simulation empowers customers to move beyond linear product development and embrace comprehensive design loops for more innovative and efficient solutions,” said Walt Hearn, senior vice president of worldwide sales and customer excellence at Ansys. “As the requirements for autonomous unmanned aerial vehicles grow more complex, Ansys technology can efficiently manage and adapt to these demands without compromising performance or accuracy. This ensures that our solutions remain effective and reliable, even as the scope of projects expands, helping our customers like Wingcopter continue to push the envelope.”
Visit Ansys at the Paris Air Show June 16-19, Booth AB168 Hall 4 to see Wingcopter and Ansys technology on display.
About Ansys
Our Mission: Powering Innovation that Drives Human Advancement
When visionary companies need to know how their world-changing ideas will perform, they close the gap between design and reality with Ansys simulation. For more than 50 years, Ansys software has enabled innovators across industries to push boundaries by using the predictive power of simulation. From sustainable transportation to advanced semiconductors, from satellite systems to life-saving medical devices, the next great leaps in human advancement will be powered by Ansys.
Ansys and any and all ANSYS, Inc. brand, product, service and feature names, logos and slogans are registered trademarks or trademarks of ANSYS, Inc. or its subsidiaries in the United States or other countries. All other brand, product, service and feature names or trademarks are the property of their respective owners.
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Do you want to shape the future of aviation? Do you share our vision of saving and improving lives through technology with a purpose? Then join our ambitious team of young talents and experienced professionals!
We at Wingcopter design innovative, high-performance drones that are operated all over the world in commercial and humanitarian operations. Our drone technology saves and improves lives every day.
Currently, we are looking for a Lead of Software Engineering (m/f/d) to join our Team.
What You’ll Do:
- Leadership role in the engineering department that seeks excellence in software engineering
- Leading a dynamic team in a start up environment and bringing the competence of training (young and innovative) engineers to develop themselves (excellent training skills)
- Management and execution of development projects against delivery commitments and project plans
- Highly collaborative role between management and strategic planning
- Coordination and reporting to Head of Engineering with relevant KPI
- Leading and overseeing software research projects
- Coordinating activities with other departments and stakeholders, e.g. production, supply chain, etc.
- Management of department´s resource and capacity planning and budgeting
What You’ll Need:
- Academic education in (Aerospace) Software Engineering, Automotive, Medical Technology or equivalent
- At least 8 years of experience in leading roles in software engineering in the Aerospace industry
- Experience in leading software development processes
- Profound understanding of regulatory frameworks in aviation, e.g. EASA/FAA Part 21, Part / CS 23/25/27/29 (certification)
- Very good communication skills both written and verbal
- Fluent proficiency in spoken and written English
- Assertiveness and strong personality skills
- Leadership skills, having an ability to move a cross-functional group in a unified direction and with a common vision
- Result-oriented, be a creative and strategic thinker, work comfortably in a highly collaborative
What you’ll bring as a perfect candidate:
- You are a team player.
- You have a can-do mentality.
- You believe that technology can have a positive impact on society and our future.
What We’ll Offer:
- A highly motivated team
- The exciting life of a fast-growing tech startup
- The opportunity to develop and implement your own ideas
- The active promotion of your personal and professional development
- The chance to have a positive impact through your work
- An extraordinary working environment
German drone delivery pioneer Wingcopter continues to fly high, announcing that it has received an investment from DRONE FUND. DRONE FUND is a Japan-based venture capital company specializing in drone- and air mobility-related startups. The investment is made out of DRONE FUND’s JPY 10 billion/USD 90 million strong third fund, called DRONE FUND III (officially DRONE FUND III Investment Limited Partnership), and comes in the run-up of Wingcopter’s Series B investment round. It is DRONE FUND’s first investment in eVTOL drone technology as well as its first investment in a German company.
Wingcopter already has deep ties with Japan. Last year, the company signed a partnership agreement with Japan’s biggest airline ANA. Together with Wingcopter, ANA plans to build a drone delivery network to help improve quality of life in rural areas across the country. Extensive trials have already taken place in the past months.
In addition, Wingcopter is about to announce the signing of a strategic partnership agreement with one of the largest Japanese sogo shosha (Japanese general trading companies) through Wingcopter’s Authorized Partnership Program (WAPP). The company will act as a distributor and local technical support provider for Wingcopter’s newest Unmanned Aircraft System (UAS), the Wingcopter 198, in Japan. The WAPP is Wingcopter’s global network of strategic partners. It includes drone operators, resellers, and agents that are trained and allowed to operate, promote, and distribute the world’s first triple-drop delivery drone, the Wingcopter 198.
Japan is an attractive market for Wingcopter as the country is very progressive with respect to the integration of drones into everyday life. Already in 2017, the Japanese government recognized the extraordinary potential drones have to offer in many different sectors of life and business and created a first national commercial drone roadmap, the so-called Roadmap for the Application and Technology Development of UAVs in Japan, and has continuously adapted it ever since.
“This investment comes at a time when we are intensifying our efforts on the Japanese market. We are convinced that the DRONE FUND team will open doors, allowing us to bring drone delivery services to more customers in Japan and beyond. It also makes us really proud that we are the only eVTOL drone company in their portfolio of about 50 investments. I believe the investment is a testament to the fact that the Wingcopter 198 is really leading the way of delivery drone technology”, says Tom Plümmer, CEO of Wingcopter.
Kotaro Chiba, Founder and Managing Partner of DRONE FUND, comments: “We have seen the air logistics network in Japan developing at an accelerated pace with the lifting of the ban on Level 3 flights in 2021. Wingcopter is one of the most reliable and cutting-edge eVTOL hardware, software and AI providers in the world, with successful experience in Japan. We are honoured to be able to invest in such a great team. We look forward to working with the Wingcopter team to contribute to the development of drone logistics in Japan and abroad.”
DRONE FUND joins existing investors Xplorer Capital, Future Capital, Expa, Hessen Kapital III, and Corecam Capital Partners. Wingcopter is currently in advanced investor discussions for its upcoming Series B round.
About Wingcopter
Wingcopter is an award-winning German manufacturer and service provider of eVTOL, fixed-wing Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) dedicated to improving and saving the lives of people worldwide through impactful commercial and humanitarian applications. The startup is focused on optimizing medical supply chains. In the future, Wingcopter will also deliver packages, tools and spare parts, as well as food and groceries. Thanks to its patented tilt-rotor mechanism, Wingcopter can take off and land vertically like a multicopter, while flying long distances as efficiently and quickly as a fixed-wing aircraft, even in heavy rain and strong wind.
In 2020, Wingcopter was named a Technology Pioneer by the World Economic Forum. Wingcopter’s investors include Drone Fund, Xplorer Capital, Futury Regio Growth Fund, Futury Ventures, Hessen Kapital III, and Corecam Capital Partners.
Find out more at www.wingcopter.com or on Twitter, LinkedIn and Instagram.
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